Angela Merkel, the former German Chancellor, has released a new memoir titled “Freedom.” In the book, she discusses her 16-year tenure as Germany’s leader and her interactions with world leaders like Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. In an interview with Mary Louise Kelly, Merkel shared that she gradually came to see herself as a feminist in her own way. She realized that equality and the participation of women do not happen automatically and that she had to actively support women’s quotas and their promotion.
Merkel also spoke about her interactions with Putin. She confronted him about the presence of armed men in Crimea in 2014, which he denied. This blatant lie changed their relationship, leading Merkel to be cautious of his truthfulness in future interactions.
Reflecting on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Merkel believes it was right to explore peaceful solutions to minimize casualties. However, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine since 2014 has changed the world, particularly in Europe, necessitating a military response and efforts to ensure Ukrainian sovereignty. Merkel also discussed her interactions with Donald Trump.
She found that Trump strongly advocated his own ideas, seeking solely to win and not believing in compromising or mutual benefit solutions.
Merkel’s diplomatic challenges and reflections
This made collaboration more difficult compared to other heads of government.
Despite the challenges she faced during her tenure, Merkel does not make many apologies in her memoir. She defends her decision to accept more than a million refugees, mostly Syrian, into Germany in 2015. She also stands by her policy U-turn on nuclear energy in 2011, which led to the phase-out of the country’s remaining reactors.
However, Merkel does express some regrets. She was tormented by whether she should have made more concessions toward the UK to prevent Brexit. She also suggests that Germany’s “debt brake” mechanism, which limits the country’s budget deficit to 0.35% of GDP, now needs to be reformed to allow higher levels of debt for future investments.
Throughout the book, Merkel offers personal reflections and broader political analyses. She shares insights into her interactions with world leaders and the challenges she faced as Germany’s leader. “Freedom” provides a rare glimpse into the mindset of one of Europe’s most significant modern-day leaders.
